Written Answers Monday 23 July 2007

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public expenditure there has been on agricultural biotechnology research, including GM research, in each year since 2000, showing funding allocated to (a) the Rowatt Institute, (b) the Scottish Crop Research Institute, (c) the Scottish Agricultural College and (d) any other Scottish research institute, university or body, and what information it has on the amount of private expenditure allocated to such research over the same period.

Richard Lochhead: The amount of funding allocated by the Scottish Executive in the past (April 2000 to March 2006) to the area of agricultural biotechnology research and carried out by the Rowett and Scottish Crop Research Institutes, SAC and other Scottish research organisations was:

  

Year
RRI
SCRI
SAC
Other Scottish organisation


2000-01
1,714,000 
4,577,000 
718,000 
2,137,000


2001-02
1,210,000 
5,412,000 
667,000 
1,222,000


2002-03
1,284,000 
5,878,000 
819,000 
1,111,000


2003-04
1,278,000 
6,080,000 
753,000 
2,483,000


2004-05
480,000 
5,915,000 
128,000 
1,717,000


2005-06
393,000 
5,812,000 
49,000 
2,272,000



  Since 1 April 2006 strategic research in Environment, Biology and Agriculture has been funded by the Scottish Executive through 4 programmes of work as set out in Strategic Research for SEERAD 2005-2010: Environment, Biology and Agriculture. From April 2006 it has not been possible to extract precise data on the costs of agricultural biotechnology related research from the funding allocated to each programme, since the funding provided by the Scottish Executive is now focused on outcomes and it is up to the individual organisations to decide the approach used to achieve these. However, full details of the work contained within the 4 programmes are available at: www.scotland.gov.uk/srg.

  The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council also provide funding to Scottish research organisations for agricultural biotechnology related research. Information on this can be found at: www.bbsrc.ac.uk.

  The funding figures for private expenditure allocated to agricultural biotechnology research are not collected centrally. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) publishes figures for overall UK research and development spend, including by private companies, on an annual basis (latest figures are for 2003) and these are available on: www.statistics.gov.uk/.

Animal Welfare

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30990 by Ross Finnie on 19 January 2007, whether it has issued a consultation paper seeking views on electronic dog training aids which administer an electric shock; if not, whether it still intends to do so and, if it does, when it will issue the paper.

Richard Lochhead: The consultation paper seeking views on electronic training aids which administer electric shocks has still to be issued. The Executive are presently discussing this issue with interested organisations and intend to issue a formal consultation paper in the autumn.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards offer colorectal cancer screening.

Nicola Sturgeon: Currently NHS Tayside, Grampian and Fife offer colorectal cancer screening for all eligible adults aged 50 – 74. These health boards are the first to participate in the new screening programme which commenced in June 2007. The remaining health boards will join the screening programme in a phased roll-out over the next two years.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for a national colorectal cancer screening programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: The bowel screening programme commenced in June 2007 with the former pilot NHS Boards (NHS Fife, Tayside and Grampian) first on the programme. The remaining NHS boards will be phased in over the next two years at the dates indicated in the following table. All eligible men and women between the ages of 50 - 74 years will be invited to participate in the programme through completion of a faecal occult blood test at home every two years.

  

NHS Fife
June 2007


NHS Grampian
June 2007


NHS Tayside
June 2007


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
September 2007


NHS Orkney
October 2007


NHS Forth Valley
December 2007


NHS Lothian
February 2008


NHS Western Isles
July 2008


NHS Borders
September 2008


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
December 2008


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
April 2009


NHS Lanarkshire
August 2009


NHS Shetland
October 2009


NHS Highland
December 2009

Central Heating Programme

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions it is making to expedite the application process for the Warm Deal programme.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Communities Scotland officials hold regular meetings with Scottish Gas (the managing agent) to ensure that all aspects of the Warm Deal programme, including the application processes, comply with the contract requirements. The managing agent has indicated that, based on the number of warm deal installations to date, it is on target to meet the overall contract commitment for 2007-08.

Children and Young People

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to proceed with the draft Children’s Services (Scotland) Bill and, if so, when.

Adam Ingram: We are currently considering whether the draft Children’s Services (Scotland) Bill developed by the previous administration will support our agenda to improve outcomes for children.

Children and Young People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to children living with parents who are prescribed methadone.

Adam Ingram: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government to set strategic directions for the drugs agenda, as well as to establish national guidelines and the integration of services. Providing support for children in substance-misusing households, including those whose parents are prescribed methadone, is the responsibility of local services. We expect services to work together to identify children at risk and take coordinated action in the best interests of the child. The Scottish Government’s policies underpin this support, and a wide range of activity is being taken forward around children in substance-misusing households, including the development of Getting It Right for Every Child, approaches to ensuring parents are clear about their responsibilities, better support for young carers and ongoing work in child protection.

Children and Young People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors children living with parents who are (a) prescribed methadone, (b) drug addicts and (c) addicted to alcohol.

Adam Ingram: Monitoring individual children living with parents affected by substance misuse is the responsibility of local agencies. We expect services to work together to identify children at risk of harm from parental substance misuse and to take appropriate, coordinated action in the best interests of the child.

  Information about the number and ages of dependent children of clients accessing a new episode of treatment or care for their drug misuse is now being recorded in the expanded Scottish Drug Misuse Database. In addition, Ministers in March 2006 wrote to chief officers seeking assurances about children in their areas affected by drug misusing parents. This exercise generated an assurance from all agencies that they are working effectively, at an individual level, to protect children.

Conservation

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for Scottish Power and Scottish Coal of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (No. 2) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 and whether there are any other similar organisations that might be affected.

Richard Lochhead: The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (No. 2) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 clarify and strengthen the transposition of the Habitats Directive as regards the process of consideration of all plans and projects. The amendments apply throughout Scotland. The amendments are not expected to impose any significant new burdens on industry or public bodies.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £30 million allocated to funding new dental premises was given to (a) NHS dentists on independent contracts and (b) private dental practitioners.

Shona Robison: Capital funding of £32,907,065 has been allocated under the Primary and Community Care Premises Modernisation Programme for 2006-08 for premises to support extended NHS dental services and community training of dentists and dental technicians including the provision of both new dental centres and the improvement of some existing facilities.

  It is planned that extended services will mainly be provided by NHS salaried dentists. NHS general dental practitioners, however, already practice from some of the facilities being improved and NHS boards concerned are investigating the potential for general dental practitioners to practice from the new buildings. The premises from which general dental practitioners may in future practice currently account in total for £10,748,000 of the above funds, although it is not possible at this time to confirm the precise amount that may be attributable to general dental practitioner use.

  In addition to this programme, since April 2005 NHS general dental practitioners have been eligible for recurring support with their premises rental costs for existing premises or when they wish to move to new premises. During 2006-07 over £6 million was paid to dentists in rent reimbursement.

  Finally, £2.5 million has been provided in this financial year for dental practice improvements and funding is also available to NHS general dental practitioners under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative.

  No NHS funding is provided for dentists who provide only private treatment.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum number of patients is who can be treated by dental students in outreach centres.

Shona Robison: No maximum has been set for the number of patients who can be treated by dental students in outreach centres.

  Actual information on the outreach centre in Aberdeen shows that 3,405 patients were booked for treatment by dental students in its first full year.

  The number of patients will, however, vary between outreach centres according to several factors, including the type of patients being treated. For example, the outreach centre at Bridgeton in Glasgow will treat children only and will see fewer patients as a consequence.

  More information on the number of patients being treated by dental students in outreach centres will become available as more centres open and become fully functioning.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether suitably qualified and trained academic dentists are available to fill all teaching and research posts required for the proposed dental school in Aberdeen.

Shona Robison: No decisions have been made on the number and type of teaching and research posts that the proposed Aberdeen dental school would require. An informed response to the question cannot, therefore, be provided at this stage.

Dentistry

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in the Borders do not have access to a dentist.

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults in the Borders do not have access to a dentist.

Shona Robison: This information is not held.

Emergency Services

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional investment will be made available to NHS Lanarkshire to enable the retention of full accident and emergency services at Monklands Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: As I outlined in my statement in the Chamber on 6 June 2007, it is a matter for the board to determine how best to deliver accident and emergency services at Monklands Hospital within the resources available to them.

Families

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-538 by Adam Ingram on 18 June 2007, whether the answer indicates that COSLA is now responsible for developing the Executive’s policy on the importance of funding support parenting orders; whether the Executive has its own position on the issue and, if so, what that position is.

Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the question S3W-538, answered on 18 June 2007, where I said that the Scottish Executive recognises the importance of quality parenting a child receives in determining his or her future. All parents need help at some point and the Scottish Executive believes strongly in the importance of providing that support.

  This year we are providing £65 million to local agencies for them to provide support to parents.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fisheries

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its top priority for fishing is achieving a sustainable fishery or being fair to fishing communities.

Richard Lochhead: Achieving sustainable fisheries and being fair to fishing communities are both priorities for the Executive and they are not mutually exclusive. Sustainable fisheries are of key importance to the future of fishing communities. However, we believe insufficient attention has been paid to the needs of fishing communities in the past and that this balance needs to be redressed.

General Practitioners

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review GP contracts and, if so, what the probable timescale is for the review.

Nicola Sturgeon: The GP (general medical services) contract is under continual review.

  The GMS contract is currently negotiated at a UK level, with NHS Employers acting, when mandated by all four countries, as chief negotiators with the GP committee of the British Medical Association (BMA).

  The Scottish government also meets with the Scottish GP committee from the BMA on a regular basis to discuss specific issues for Scotland.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the development of a Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) clinical guideline for the care and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Shona Robison: SIGN’s work programme includes the publication of a guideline on Parkinson’s Disease in 2009.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a Scotland-wide managed clinical network for ME/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is very supportive of plans to develop a managed clinical network approach to services for those with CFS/ME. The health directorates have been in discussion with some of those developing such proposals, and will provide advice on the processes involved.

Health

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to develop a public health strategy and guidance to raise awareness among the public and health professionals of the importance of vitamin D supplementation in high risk groups of the population.

Shona Robison: The Scottish government’s Public Health and Wellbeing Directorate, together with the Chief Medical Officer Directorate and the Food Standards Agency Scotland, are currently considering the detailed conclusions of the position statement, Update on Vitamin D ,  published in May 2007 by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) which includes a suggestion that a public health strategy and guidance on vitamin D supplementation is necessary.

  There is currently a range of public health information available on the importance of vitamin D. The majority of this is aimed at women during pregnancy, and at supporting women, babies, young children and families. For example Ready, Steady Baby, Fun First Foods and Ready, Steady Toddler all highlight the importance of vitamin D. In addition information is also targeted at older people in respect of bone health and vitamin D.

  Pregnant women and children under four in families receiving certain benefits can receive free vitamins (either drops or tablets both of which include vitamin D3) as part of Healthy Start.

  All of this will be taken into account when considering a future public health strategy and guidance for health professionals on the importance of vitamin D supplementation.

Housing

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional investment will be provided to South Lanarkshire Council to improve the fabric of council housing stock.

Stewart Maxwell: South Lanarkshire Council’s approach to improving the fabric of its housing stock is set out in its standard delivery plan for achieving the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). The SHQS was introduced in 2004 and it has always been for Councils to determine how best to fund the investment required to meet the standard.

  South Lanarkshire Council’s standard delivery plan shows that the council believes that it can achieve the SHQS using financial resources that are either currently available to it or that it anticipates being available between now and 2015.

  The Scottish Government does not intend providing additional investment beyond what is already available to the Council from its own resources to achieve the SHQS.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to supporting second stage transfer of Glasgow Housing Association housing stock.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the question S3W-143 answered on 1 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Housing

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether registered social landlords can purchase existing properties on the open market for rent or shared equity ownership and what procedures require to be followed.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Registered social landlords (RSLs) can purchase existing properties on the open market for rent or shared equity ownership. RSLs seeking funding to purchase existing properties should provide details of individual project proposals in their annual Strategy and Development Funding Plan submissions. The procedure note for this is available on the Communities Scotland website: www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk.

  The procedures to be followed are set out in the Housing Association Grant Procedures Guide (August 1997) and, if applicable, the Homestake Administrative Procedures Guide (August 2005) copies of which are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 43169 and 43170).

Housing

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign nationals were allocated housing from registered social landlords in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006, shown as a percentage of the Scottish population.

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested is not held centrally.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses have been (a) built and (b) renovated in each local authority area in the (i) private and (ii) social rented sector in each of the last five years, broken down into (A) housing association and (B) local authority builds.

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested on how many houses have been built is given in tables 1a, 1b and 1c of Private, Local Authority and Housing Associations House Completions 2002-2006, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43218). The tables provide the number of private, local authority and housing association houses built in each local authority area between 2002 and 2006.

  Although partial information is available from various sources on improvements to dwellings there is no centrally held comprehensive source of information that would provide a meaningful picture of the level of renovation work carried out in recent years.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households were living in property that was below tolerable standard in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish House Condition Survey, which is the only consistent national source of information on houses below tolerable standard, estimates that there were 20,000 households living in houses below the standard in 2002. This is 0.9% of all households in Scotland. Because of the small number of houses identified in the survey as below the tolerable standard the survey cannot provide estimates for individual councils.

  Councils provide the Executive with annual estimates of the number of below tolerable standard dwellings in the council area. Research conducted on behalf of the Executive into the basis for local and national estimates – Research into the basis for local and national estimates of the number of BTS houses in Scotland by DTZ Pieda Consulting in association with Dr J I Ansell - concluded that there were significant variations between councils in the way in which they interpret the standard when compiling their estimates, and that there are also weaknesses in the estimates stemming from the use of unsatisfactory baseline data and imperfect methods used to update estimates. This report has been published by Scottish Executive Central Research Unit in 2000 and is available on the Scottish Executive website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/drf90-00.asp.

  The following table is based on councils’ estimates of the total number of occupied dwellings below tolerable standard for each of the past 5 years.

  Table 1 - Occupied BTS properties as a percentage of households

  

 
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Scotland
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%


Aberdeen City
1%
1%
1%
0%
0%


Aberdeenshire
Not Known
1%
2%
2%


Angus
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%


Argyll and Bute
15%
15%
15%
7%
7%


Clackmannanshire
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%


Dumfries and Galloway
1%
1%
0%
0%
0%


Dundee City
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%


East Ayrshire
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%


East Dunbartonshire
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


East Lothian
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%


East Renfrewshire
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


Edinburgh
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


Eilean Siar1
25%
18%
 


Falkirk1
0%
0%
 


Fife
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


Glasgow1
8%
 


Highland
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%


Inverclyde
4%
3%
3%
2%
2%


Midlothian
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


Moray
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%


North Ayrshire
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%


North Lanarkshire
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


Orkney
11%
9%
5%
5%
3%


Perth and Kinross
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%


Renfrewshire
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%


Scottish Borders
7%
6%
6%
6%
5%


Shetland
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%


South Ayrshire
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%


South Lanarkshire
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%


Stirling
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%


West Dunbartonshire
1%
1%
0%
0%
0%


West Lothian
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%



  Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics Imp2 returns, GROS mid-year Household Estimates.

  Note:

  1. Data not provided.

Livestock

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farm animal welfare inspections were undertaken by Animal Health (formerly the State Veterinary Service) in 2006 and the first six months of 2007 on pig, sheep, dairy cattle, beef cattle, poultry (broiler chickens, ducks and turkeys), laying hen and other farmed animal units in Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: I have asked Glenys Stacey, Chief Executive of the Animal Health Agency to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The number of farm animal welfare inspections carried out by Animal Health in Scotland during 2006 and the first six months of 2007 are shown in the following tables. The figures for 2007 have still to be finalised.

  Table 1

  Welfare Inspections Carried Out by Animal Health During 2006

  

Enterprise
Number of Inspections


Beef – Breeding
199


Cattle – Growing
70


Calves
35


Dairy Cattle
23


Pigs – Breeding
36


Pigs – Growing
27


Sheep
261


Goats
4


Battery Hens
11


Other Layers
14


Broilers/Breeders
34


Turkeys
2


Ducks
3


Geese
4


Rabbits
3


Horses
3


Other
6


Total Inspections
735



  Table 2

  Welfare Inspections Carried Out by Animal Health to end of June 2007

  (figures subject to minor variation - see note in text)

  

Enterprise
Number of Inspections


Beef – Breeding
187


Cattle – Growing
86


Calves
53


Dairy Cattle
16


Pigs – Breeding
20


Pigs – Growing
16


Sheep
170


Goats
6


Battery Hens
8


Other Layers
12


Broilers/Breeders
18


Turkeys
1


Ducks
2


Geese
2


Rabbits
1


Horses
1


Other
3


Total Inspections
602

Livestock

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farm animal welfare inspections undertaken by Animal Health (formerly the State Veterinary Service) in 2006 and the first six months of 2007 on pig, sheep, dairy cattle, beef cattle, poultry (broiler chickens, ducks and turkeys), laying hen and other farmed animal units in Scotland were for (a) monitoring compliance with EU animal welfare regulations, (b) assessing cross-compliance for single farm payments, (c) investigating complaints about animal welfare and (d) any other purpose.

Richard Lochhead: I have asked Glenys Stacey, Chief Executive of the Animal Health Agency to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The number of farm animal welfare inspections carried out in 2006 and 2007 up to the end of June for various purposes are shown in the following tables. The figures for 2007 have still to be finalised.

  Table 1

  Number of Inspections Carried Out During 2006

  

Visit Type
Complaint
Elective
Programmed
Targeted
Other
Total


Enterprise
 
 
 
 
 
 


Beef – Breeding
65
5
11
117
1
199


Cattle – Growing
21
5
2
42
Null
70


Calves
2
2
18
13
Null
35


Dairy Cattle
6
1
4
12
Null
23


Pigs – Breeding
2
8
13
13
Null
36


Pigs – Growing
5
4
6
11
1
27


Sheep
110
Null
14
137
Null
261


Goats
Null
Null
4
Null
Null
4


Battery Hens
Null
Null
3
8
Null
11


Other Layers
4
1
7
2
Null
14


Broilers/Breeders
9
22
1
2
Null
34


Turkeys
Null
Null
2
Null
Null
2


Ducks
Null
Null
3
Null
Null
3


Geese
Null
2
2
Null
Null
4


Rabbits
Null
Null
3
Null
Null
3


Horses
Null
Null
3
Null
Null
3


Other
Null
2
3
1
Null
6


Null
0
0
0
Null
Null
0


Total Inspections
224
52
99
358
2
735



  Table 2

  Number of Inspections Carried Out During 2007

  (figures available to end of June only and subject to minor variation)

  

Visit Type
Complaint
Elective
Programmed
Targeted
XC
Total


Enterprise
 
 
 
 
 
 


Beef - Breeding
39
4
1
101
42
187


Cattle - Growing
13
Null
1
47
25
86


Calves
3
1
1
21
27
53


Dairy Cattle
4
1
1
6
4
16


Pigs - Breeding
3
2
3
11
1
20


Pigs - Growing
3
3
1
7
2
16


Sheep
52
4
Null
81
33
170


Goats
1
2
Null
3
Null
6


Battery Hens
4
Null
1
3
Null
8


Other Layers
1
3
Null
7
1
12


Broilers/Breeders
Null
17
Null
1
Null
18


Turkeys
Null
1
Null
Null
Null
1


Ducks
Null
1
Null
Null
1
2


Geese
Null
1
Null
Null
1
2


Rabbits
Null
1
Null
Null
Null
1


Horses
Null
1
Null
Null
Null
1


Other
Null
3
Null
Null
Null
3


Null
0
Null
Null
0
Null
0


Total Inspections
123
45
9
288
137
602

Marine Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce its position on the previous administration’s (a) commitment to set up a working group of stakeholders and officials to consider marine national parks and (b) request to local enterprise companies to consider the economic impact of setting up marine parks, in accordance with their remits.

Richard Lochhead: I recognise that the initial consultation by the previous administration highlighted the need for further work in addressing significant concerns raised about proposals to establish a coastal and marine national park.

  I am currently considering how and when we will make progress in relation to this work and in the wider context of the management of our marine environment.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has increased the availability of evidence-based psychological therapies for all age groups in a range of settings and through a range of providers in line with the commitments given in Delivering for Mental Health.

Shona Robison: Our policy involves change to the training and educational infrastructure to increase numbers of trained staff to deliver the range of evidence based psychological therapies, including cognitive behaviour therapies, by our 2010 timetable.

  NHS Education for Scotland are taking work forward to develop greater capacity to deliver a range of psychological interventions, such as cognitive behaviour therapy. Building on this work we will be taking forward a mental health collaborative change programme that will work with every NHS board to look at improvements to making evidence based psychological interventions available, in a range of settings, for all ages.

  Visits this year to all NHS boards have included attention on implementation progress and plans including service models to enable staff to deliver psychological therapies in an expanded range of settings. Progress is being made but there is more to do.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to improve mental health services for children and young people.

Shona Robison: We are working with NHS boards and other partners to deliver the objectives set in the published Mental Health of Children and Young People (Bib. number 38415) Delivering a Healthy Future (Bib. number 42137) and Delivering for Mental Health (Bib. number 41410). These provide a framework with key timetables milestones which include attention to training and workforce planning; increasing bed numbers; early intervention; supported transitions; improved primary care; and better planning and delivery of specialist care.

  We are working to reduce the number of admissions of children and young people to adult beds by 50%; to increase dedicated in-patient beds; to provide mental health training for all those working with or caring for looked after or accommodated children and young people; and to ensuring that a named mental health link person is available to every school to better inform all concerned and help identify needs at the earliest point.

  We are also working with Heads Up and the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health on developing national clinical support and better information.

  These initiatives will help ensure the right level and quality of care is delivered to children and young people across Scotland.

NHS Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the temporary staffing costs were in respect of (a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) other healthcare professionals, (d) managers and (e) administrative staff in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the temporary staffing costs in respect of four of the five groups listed above is not collected centrally; however separate costs are available for nursing staff (both agency and bank) and we can provide an overall total for the cost of employing agency staff which is reported in the Annual Accounts of NHS boards.

  (a) Nursing agency costs from 2001-02 to 2005-06 (2006-07 figures are not all available) broken down by NHS boards, as detailed in the national workforce unit’s report E13 is given in table 1 of parliamentary question S3W-1907 – Nursing Agency costs 2001-02 – 2005-06’, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number reference 43222):

  (b) Costs for nursing bank staff from 2001-02 – 2005-06 as detailed in the national workforce unit’s report E16 is given in table 2 of parliamentary question S3W-1907 – Nurse Banking Staff costs 2001-02 – 2005-06, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43223):

  Nationally co-ordinated nurse bank arrangements are being implemented to assist nurse placement across Scotland, to improve patient services and cut costs of agency nursing.

  The increase in the number of bank staff used is in line with recommendations made within the report and action plan of the nationally co-ordinated nurse bank arrangements project and reflects our policy on reducing the reliance on agency nurses in NHSScotland.

  Effectively managed nurse banks allow NHS employers to deploy resources effectively and safely in light of service demands, while affording individual staff members improved flexibility in their employment that better meet work/life demands. Bank staff are employees of NHSScotland, are deployed by individual NHS employers to cover temporary nursing gaps and as such have access to training and career opportunities.

  A project manager has been appointed to take forward the 18 recommendations set out in the nursing and midwifery workload and workforce planning report, which will impact on bank and agency usage. Significant progress is being made by NHS boards who are responsible for ensuring that their board has a local action plan to take the recommendations forward in their own area.

  A national contract for the provision of agency nurses, through the best procurement initiative, (BPI) is in place. The BPI is part of NHSScotland’s agenda for modernising support services and is an important element of the Executive’s Efficient Government initiative aimed at delivering public services to the highest possible quality in Scotland. A contract was initially established in the West of Scotland in November 2003 and this was rolled out to the North and East of Scotland in November 2004. It is anticipated that the contract will deliver savings of approximately £7 million per annum by 2006-07.

  (c) Total agency costs for NHS boards as reported in the annual accounts of NHS boards and trusts, is defined as the gross cost of all payments to employment agencies for the provision of agency staff of all disciplines. The figures are given in table 3 of parliamentary question S3W-1907 – Total Agency costs for NHS boards 2001-02 – 2005-06’, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43224); these figures will not include nurse bank staff.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

NHS Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost increase to the NHS was between 1999-2000 and 2006-07 in respect of (a) medical secretaries, (b) record keepers, (c) health educators, (d) IT technicians, (e) financial managers, (f) caterers, (g) launderers, (h) cleaners and (i) all other staff and what proportion of the total NHS budget was spent on administrative staff in (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2006-07, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The NHS is a team operation. Staff such as those listed above, play a vital role in keeping a hospital running smoothly. Behind every nurse or doctor there is someone making sure their equipment works, that test results are processed accurately, that appointments are scheduled and that patient records are up-to-date. These staff groups play a key role in planning better services for the future. Every member of staff in the NHS, regardless of their specialism, plays a vital part in saving lives in the modern NHS.

  Information on expenditure by NHS boards on the specific groups of staff requested is not collected centrally; however information on the following groups of staff is available:

  

Group
Examples


Specialists
Consultant, Senior House Officer, Registrar


Medical and Dental
Medical Advisor


Nursing - Trained
Nurse Grades ‘C’ – ‘I’, Nurse Manager


Nursing - In Training
Student Nurse


Nursing - Other
Auxiliary


P & T "A" - Para-Med.
Dietician, Radiographer, Occupational Therapist


P & T "B" - Para-Med.
Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer, Medical Technician


P & T "B" - Works
Building Officer, Engineering Officer


Administrative & Clerical
Senior Manager, Medical Records, Medical Secretary 


Domestic and Ancillary
Porter, Gardener, Kitchen


Tradesmen
Electrician, Plumber, Joiner


Other Staff
Pharmacist, Chaplain, Other



  Information on the costs of these groups of staff and the increase between 1999-2000 and 2006-07 is given in table 1 of parliamentary question S3W-1917 - NHS Staff Expenditure 1999-2000 and 2006-07 (SFR 15), a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43216).

  The staff figures are taken from Scottish Financial Return 15 which were completed by all boards and trusts and returned to the SEHD with their annual accounts.

  Proportion of NHS Budget

  It is not possible to identify exactly what each NHS board spends on administrative staff as there is no definition of this with which to collate information. However expenditure on staff on administration and clerical pay scales has been used as an approximation, although this may include staff who might not be considered administrative and conversely may exclude those that are who are paid on a different pay scale, such as senior managers.

  

Health Board
Administration & Clerical Staff Costs


1999-2000
% of total Expenditure
2006-07
% of total Expenditure


 
£000s
£000s


Argyll and Clyde
22,966 
6%
N/A
 


Ayrshire and Arran
19,015 
6%
39,981
6%


Borders
6,814 
7%
12,609
7%


Dumfries and Galloway
8,648 
6%
15,930
6%


Fife
16,247 
5%
28,812
5%


Forth Valley
13,790 
6%
26,428
6%


Grampian
28,336 
6%
48,205
6%


Greater Glasgow (and Clyde)
59,042 
6%
162,047
7%


Highland
12,390 
6%
33,167
6%


Lanarkshire
24,435 
5%
43,157
5%


Lothian
45,884 
7%
77,319
6%


Orkney
1,086 
5%
2,689
6%


Shetland
1,524 
6%
3,518
8%


Tayside
27,992 
7%
49,870
7%


Western Isles
2,009 
5%
4,651
7%


Totals
290,179 
 
548,383

NHS Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual NHS staff costs were in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board, expressed also as a percentage of each board’s total budget and showing year-on-year changes.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are committed to NHSScotland being an exemplar employer. Enhancements to staff terms and conditions provide benefits to staff by recognising their contribution through fair pay, greater flexibility and improved development opportunities; they also help deliver benefits to patients by creating a more motivated and better skilled workforce, and a platform for new working practices that can drive more responsive patient-centred services.

  The figures are given in table 1 of parliamentary question S3W-1922 – Annual NHS staff costs 2001-02 – 2005-06 a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. reference 43219). The table shows the annual NHS staff costs over the last five years for each NHS board, the costs expressed as a percentage of each Board’s total budget and year on year changes:

  Reason for Increase

  A range of factors impact upon staff costs. These include increases in staff numbers (which have been significant in recent years), annual uplifts to staff pay, movement of staff up pay scales, temporary supplements to staff pay such a New Deal banding supplements for junior doctors, introduction of pay modernisation and the change in employers’ superannuation contributions from 5.5% of total pensionable salaries to 14% in April 2004.

National Health Service

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve public transport services between the three hospitals in Lanarkshire.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for NHS Lanarkshire.

National Health Service

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what new or refurbished primary care premises are planned for each NHS board area in the next five years.

Nicola Sturgeon: Decisions on Primary Care premises provision are devolved to NHS boards and individual contractors; lists of projects are not maintained centrally. A copy of a consolidated list of the most recent advice provided by individual NHS boards has, however, been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43162).

National Health Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that mental health services in Lanarkshire are developed in line with the principles detailed in A Picture of Health.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for NHS Lanarkshire.

National Health Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will direct NHS Lanarkshire to deliver a community casualty unit in Lanark, as detailed in A Picture of Health.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will direct NHS Lanarkshire to deliver a new community hospital in Clydesdale, as detailed in A Picture of Health.

Nicola Sturgeon: As I outlined in my statement in the Chamber on 6 June 2007, I am clear that, as far as possible within the resources available to the board, I want them to retain their primary care and community development programmes.

  It is now a matter for the board to determine how best to deliver these services and to produce revised proposals.

National Health Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients from Clydesdale have been treated at the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank in each year since it has been within the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information on the number of patients treated at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital from the Parliamentary constituency of Clydesdale is not available.

  The number of procedures undertaken by the Golden Jubilee National Hospital on patients referred by NHS Lanarkshire hospitals in each year since its purchase in 2002 is provided as follows.

  Number of Procedures

  

9 Months to 31 March 2002
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
Total


735
1,006
1,319
3,767
5,806
12,633

National Health Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients in Clydesdale are currently waiting more than 26 weeks to obtain in-patient treatment in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: On 31 March 2007, no patients from Clydesdale Parliamentary constituency with a waiting time guarantee had waited more than 18 weeks for in-patient or day case treatment.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the criteria by which it will decide the future of (a) Communities Scotland and (b) sportscotland.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a timescale and timetable for a review of Communities Scotland.

Stewart Maxwell: As the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced on 24 May 2007, we intend to take action to achieve a simpler, smaller government in Scotland, de-cluttering and simplifying the public service landscape. Clarity about the role of agencies and non-departmental public bodies will be a crucial element of this approach.

  To achieve consistency in our decisions on specific public bodies, we will develop a set of principles and approaches over the summer, on which we will provide Parliament with further details later this year.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whom it will consult on the future of (a) Communities Scotland and (b) sportscotland.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will give a commitment to consult the Parliament and its committees prior to making a decision on the future of (a) Communities Scotland and (b) sportscotland.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will give a commitment not to make a decision on the future of (a) Communities Scotland and (b) sportscotland during the parliamentary recess in order to allow the full involvement of the Parliament in the review.

Stewart Maxwell: It is important that we take decisions on the future of both organisations through a robust and proper process, to ensure that those decisions are clear and transparent, provide clarity for staff and stakeholders, and also contribute to simplifying and enhancing the delivery of public services in Scotland. We will take time to consider the issues properly, consulting both organisations, trade unions and other key stakeholders, including ensuring that the relevant Parliamentary Committee has an input into the process before the final decisions are taken.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what input the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and the Minister for Communities and Sport will have in the wider review of public bodies which will include a consideration of Communities Scotland and sportscotland.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the question S3W-1699 answered on 23 July 2007. Cabinet Secretaries and their Ministers will take the decisions on public bodies within their responsibilities, in line with the principles and approaches developed over the summer.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Nursing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all people with Parkinson’s disease have access to a nurse specialist.

Shona Robison: There are now 13 specialist nurses dealing with Parkinson’s Disease across NHS boards.

  Staffing arrangements are a matter for NHS boards, but they are asked to consider the role of both specialist nurses and nurses with a broader remit working in the community, as part of their plans to make sure that services meet the needs of people living with long-term conditions.

Organ Donation

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent a policy of presumed consent would help to improve Scotland’s rate of organ donation.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is not clear that changing to a system of opting out would necessarily lead to an improvement in organ donation rates in Scotland. Such a move would need strong support from the public and the health professionals involved, but the extensive consultations carried out in relation to the organ donation and transplantation provisions of the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 showed strong support for strengthening the present system of opting-in. That is the approach which is embodied in the Act.

  We feel that there are serious risks associated with a change to a system of presumed consent, given that the disclosures about organ retention at post-mortem examination showed that for many people presumed consent is regarded as denying them a proper say in what should happen to their body after death. A time may come when it would be possible to move to a system of presumed consent, but we do not believe that time is now.

  Both approaches aim to increase the number of organs becoming available for transplantation, an aim which we fully support. I wish to explore with the other health departments the gains which could be achieved through changes to the present organ donation and transplantation infrastructure.

Organ Donation

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget for organ donation advertising has been in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive advertising spend on organ donation campaigns in each of the last five years is set out in the following table:

  

Year
Spend £


2002-03
28,355


2003-04
143,859


2004-05
121,012


2005-06
190,570


2006-07
218,850

Organ Donation

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the Scottish Organ Retrieval Team (SORT) and what progress SORT has made.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Organ Retrieval Team (SORT) continues to retrieve all organs which become available for transplantation anywhere in Scotland.

  The outcome of the evaluation of the performance of SORT during the year September 2004 to August 2005, when it included consultant anaesthetist participation on a pilot basis, was very positive. The results of the evaluation are being taken into account by the Organ Donation Task Force set up by NHS Blood and Transplant and by the British Transplantation Society, which is looking at recommendations for better retrieval arrangements across the UK.

Osteoporosis

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that a wide range of effective treatments are available to people diagnosed with osteoporosis.

Shona Robison: There are a number of SIGN Guidelines which deal with the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, in particular SIGN Guideline 71 on the Management of Osteoporosis, covering the pharmacological and non-pharmacological aspects of management. These Guidelines are used by clinicians to agree with the patient the management of his or her conditions.

Osteoporosis

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that effective preventative treatment is available to all those who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis but have not experienced fractures.

Shona Robison: On 21 February 2007, the Scottish Executive issued guidance, HDL (2007)13 http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2007_13.pdf which asks NHS boards and Community Health Partnerships to have a combined falls and bone health strategy in place. The consultation on the proposed Scottish enhanced service programme for primary and community care seeks to build on this by including falls prevention and bone health as one of those enhanced services.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will published advice on the recommendations of the multiple technology appraisal by the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence of drugs for the primary prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. NHSScotland should take account of this advice in its planning, funding and provision of services, to ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

Osteoporosis

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mandatory treatment options will be available to patients with osteoporosis who cannot take alendronate or do not respond to it.

Shona Robison: We are aware that this is an issue which NICE is considering in the context of its multiple technology appraisal of drugs used in the primary prevention of osteoporotic fragility fractures in post-menopausal women.

  For women who cannot take or have withdrawn from treatment with alendronate, alternative treatment options will be outlined in the NICE Osteoporosis guideline, which is due later this year. The Osteoporosis guideline cannot be published until both the primary and secondary prevention of osteoporosis technology appraisals have been finalised. The recommendations from the technology appraisals on initiation of therapy will then be incorporated into the full guideline. This will ensure that a comprehensive care pathway is agreed for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

  Until the guideline is published, the existing NICE guidance TA87 (published in 2005) on secondary prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women will apply, which recommends alternative treatment options for those women who cannot take or who have withdrawn from alendronate.

Osteoporosis

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that preventative drug treatments are available to high-risk groups, such as those aged over 50 or diagnosed with osteoporosis, to stop them from suffering fractures.

Shona Robison: We are aware that this is an issue which NICE is considering in the context of its multiple technology appraisal of drugs used in the primary prevention of osteoporotic fragility fractures in post-menopausal women. The process relating to these appraisals is set out in the question to S3W-1937 answered on 23 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Osteoporosis

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that all of those with, or at risk of, osteoporosis are diagnosed and prescribed appropriate medication to prevent fractures.

Shona Robison: SIGN Guideline 71 on the management of osteoporosis, and a number of other SIGN Guidelines which refer to osteoporosis, set out the appropriate pharmacological management of the condition.

  As indicated in the answers to questions S3W-1938 and S3W-1939, both answered on 23 July 2007, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will consider the NICE multiple technology appraisal on drugs for the primary prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Planning

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning application appeals have been made to it in each year since 1999.

Stewart Stevenson: The number of appeals received by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (formerly SEIRU) and the subsequent decisions are set out as follows.

  Planning Permission Appeals Received Each Year Since 1 April 1999

  

Year
Received
Dismissed
Allowed
Withdrawn


1999 – 2000
650
358
201
81


2000 – 2001
679
411
205
63


2001 – 2002
673
400
221
52


2002 – 2003
735
447
233
53


2003 – 2004
806
486
255
64


2004 – 2005
894
528
310
56


2005 – 2006
1,009
554
397
43


2006 – 2007
1,065
537
346
36

Renewable Energy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of public funding has been allocated for wind farm developments in each year since 1999.

Jim Mather: None. Support for wind energy is delivered through the Renewables Obligation (Scotland), the costs of which are met by consumers through their electricity bills.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out to ascertain whether wind farms are the most efficient form of renewable energy relative to other sources of energy.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Executive has not conducted such research. Our aim is for a mix of sources of renewable energy to the benefit of the environment and the economy. It is for developers to make decisions on investment in individual projects.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether wind farms would be economically viable after the removal of subsidy support.

Jim Mather: Recent studies have shown that the costs of wind energy are expected to increase over the coming four or five years. These rises are due in the main to shortages in the supply of turbines and increases in steel costs. These findings suggest that the support available under the Renewables Obligation for wind energy remains necessary at the current time.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage small-scale hydro schemes.

Jim Mather: Small-scale hydro developers continue to gain revenue from Renewables Obligation Certificates issued under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).

  A Hydro Sub-Group set up by the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland will investigate and report on the potential hydro resource available in Scotland, any constraints on developing this resource, and how such barriers might be overcome. The group held its first meeting in April this year.

Research and Development

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what tax incentives it is considering offering to increase the level of investment in research and development.

John Swinney: We intend to introduce the Small Business Bonus Scheme from 1 April 2008 which could potentially benefit those small businesses engaged in research and development activities in Scotland and provide the opportunity for them to increase their level of investment.

  Our aim, in introducing the proposed scheme, is the creation of an environment in which businesses in Scotland can flourish, underpinned by a fair taxation system which targets relief where it is needed most. We shall make a further announcement on the details of the scheme later this year.

Research and Development

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the impact of EU state aid rules on the previous administration’s proposals to introduce business rate relief for investment in research and development.

John Swinney: The Scottish Executive takes EC state aid rules into account with any proposed rates relief scheme.

Rural Affairs

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-280 by Richard Lochhead on 12 June 2007 in which he confirmed his meeting with NFU Scotland, whether NFU Scotland’s delegation contained a representative from its Highland Committee; how many farmers NFU Scotland represents, shown as a percentage of all Scottish farmers; whether the membership of NFU Scotland is weighted to any sector, size of farm, or type of farm by reference of the farmer’s status as a tenant or owner-occupier farmer, and what information the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has available to him on the membership of NFU Scotland and whether he will make any such figures available.

Richard Lochhead: There was no delegation as such. As part of our engagement process, the Minister for Environment and I met with the Chief Executive and Head of Rural Policy for NFU Scotland, both of whom had attended the Stakeholders meeting immediately beforehand.

  The information you seek on membership and other matters relating to NFU Scotland is a matter for that organisation.

Rural Development

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the Scottish Rural Development Programme, what criteria will be used for applicants to the new entrants scheme.

Richard Lochhead: The precise criteria are still being developed. However, to comply with EU Regulations, the measure will apply to new entrants who are under 40 years of age, who are setting up for the first time as head of a farming business, who possess adequate occupational skills and competence, who submit a business plan for the development of the business and who submit their proposal for assistance within 12 months of setting up.

Rural Development

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue supporting rural diversification through a system of government grants.

Richard Lochhead: A range of measures to support rural diversification is included in the draft Scotland Rural Development Programme, which is currently with the European Commission for approval. Especially when combined with the decoupled single farm payments, the Executive will be providing significant support for rural diversification.

Rural Development

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase rural diversification grants.

Richard Lochhead: Under the new Scotland Rural Development Programme, there will be no upper limit (as there was previously) to the funding potentially available for good quality diversification proposals. Funding of up to 50% of project costs, depending on the geographical area, the type of project involved and the needs of the project will be available. There will also be a 10% uplift in the maximum funding available to young farmers for restructuring projects that involve diversification.

Rural Development

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to ease access to rural diversification grants.

Richard Lochhead: A key objective of the new system of Rural Development Contracts is to simplify the process of seeking government support for good quality projects, including diversification projects. Whether a contract is offered in a particular case will depend on the quality and potential impact of the proposal: we will support only the best proposals which deliver worthwhile outcomes for the rural economy.

Scottish Executive Finance

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) underspend against budget was in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07; how much of the underspend was returned to SEERAD as end-of-year funding for its use in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07; whether there was any split in the use of that funding between capital and resource and, if so, what the split was, and how much SEERAD contributed to the Centrally Unallocated Provision in (A) 2004-05, (B) 2005-06 and (C) 2006-07.

Richard Lochhead: Under spending by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs against its Budgets in the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 was £39 million, £46 million and £54 million respectively. The allocations made to the Department at the end of 2004-05 and 2005-06, for later use under the End Year Flexibility (EYF) arrangements were £36 million (composed of £28 million capital and £8 million resource) and £9 million (entirely capital) respectively.

  Provisional under spending against the Department’s 2006-07 Budget is £54 million (composed of £38 million capital and £16 million resource). No allocations of end year flexibility for 2006-07 under spending have been made at this time, pending the outcome of the 2007 Spending Review. The balance of under spending in any year which is not allocated as EYF is retained by the Central Contingency Fund.

Scottish Executive Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff have been (a) seconded from, (b) transferred from, (c) seconded to and (d) transferred to other UK departments in each year since 1999.

John Swinney: Temporary movement between UK Government departments is defined as a loan rather than a secondment. The numbers loaned from and to and transferred from and to the Scottish Executive to other UK Government Departments are contained in the following table. Additionally, under an arrangement with the Home Office the Scottish Executive have, as at 1 July 2007, 381 staff on loan to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in Glasgow.

  

Year
Seconded (loan) from UK Government Departments
Transferred from UK Government Departments
Seconded(loan) to UK Government Departments
Transferred to UK Government Departments


1999
 
59
1
14


2000
 
22
 
14


2001
1
45
 
11


2002
 
43
1
24


2003
1
34
2
23


2004
11
25
13
13


2005
6
30
12
13


2006
11
30
17
18


2007
11
28
17
11

Sports Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-684 by Stewart Maxwell on 18 June 2007, whether it has considered how it could set up a new lottery distribution body for sports funding, given that this is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament.

Stewart Maxwell: Arrangements for the distribution of the lottery sports fund in Scotland would be considered alongside consideration of the future of sportscotland.

  Primary legislation relating to the National Lottery is of course reserved to Westminster. However, there is extensive Executive devolution within the terms of the Concordat agreed between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Scottish Executive. These devolved powers include the provision for Scottish Ministers to change lottery distributors and their percentage shares within the overall Scottish arts and sport percentages as set out in the National Lottery etc Act 1993 (amended).

Sports Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-684 by Stewart Maxwell on 18 June 2007, whether the setting up of a new, separate lottery distribution body for sport would fulfil its aim of de-cluttering the public sector landscape.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the question S3W-684 answered on 18 June 2007. No decisions have been taken as yet. The question of sports lottery fund distribution will be considered as part of the review of sportscotland, which will take place within the context of the wider review of public bodies announced by the Cabinet Secretary For Finance And Sustainable Growth on 24 May 2007.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Sports Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-684 by Stewart Maxwell on 18 June 2007, whether it considers that having a new independent organisation distributing lottery funding for sport and a different organisation investing in the priorities of Reaching Higher: Building on the Success of Sport 21 is the best way of investing in Scottish sport.

Stewart Maxwell: The priorities for sport in Reaching Higher sets out the importance of strong organisations in order to deliver improved performance and increased participation. We value the contribution sportscotland can make to the implementation of the strategy and these remain the outcomes we are seeking for sport. Any decision on a new organisation distributing lottery funding for sport and a different organisation investing in the priorities of the strategy would recognise and consider the implications within the wider context of the review of public bodies announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 24 May 2007.